Swiss Penalty For Pushing Stick in OT Leads to Sweden’s GWG

Teammates should always help each other out. Except, that is, when you have to break a rule to do it. Unfortunately for Swiss forward Morris Trachsler, his assistance resulted in an overtime penalty that led to the game-winning goal for Team Sweden.

GIF: ref calls penalty on Swiss player for pushing Streit's stick back to him — in OT — Sweden scores GWG on PP pic.twitter.com/nBdvK5IEBT

The IIHF Rulebook spells it out in Rule 120-iii, which covers broken sticks and, per 120-iv, lost sticks that are intact:

120-iii. A player … may receive a stick from a teammate on the ice at the time without having to proceed to his players’ bench to obtain a new one. This exchange, however, must be made hand-to-hand. A teammate who throws, tosses, slides, or shoots a stick to him will be assessed a minor penalty.

Unfortunate as it may be for the Swiss, that’s the right call.

Referees for the game were Viacheslav Bulanov and Maxim Sidorenko. Linesmen were Sakari Suominen and Jon Kilian.